Council considering fining dog walkers up to £1,000 if they cannot produce a poo bag

Dog owners in Northamptonshire will be fined up to £1,000 if they cannot produce a ‘poo bag’ for their pet when walking them under a new law that could be adopted by a council.

In a bid to reduce the amount of dog owners failing to clear up after their pets, Daventry District Council is considering using new powers in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which forces people to produce poo bags or containers or risk being given a fixed penalty notice of £100.



The new law will be enforced by dog wardens and, failure to pay the fine, may result in the dog owner being taken to court and being fined up to £1,000. Maria Taylor, community manager for Daventry District Council, who has written a report on the potential adoption of the new law said it was accepted that it could be “controversial.”

She said: “It is recognised that the additional powers which form part of this consultation have the potential to be controversial. However, dog fouling continues to be a major concern for our residents.” Before the council decides to introduce the new laws a 10-week consultation will be carried out to see if it has public support. If the new power is adopted, the council said is also planning a substantial educational campaign and the use of an “informal approach” in the first few months of it being introduced.